Construction hoist

ABSTRACT

A HOIST FOR RAISING AND LOWERING EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE. PARALLEL COLUMNS MADE OF LENGTHS OF H-BEAMS ARE SECURED TO A BASE OR FOUNDATION AND TO THE BUILDING AT VARIOUS INTERVALS. A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM WHICH IS GUIDED BY THE H-BEAMS IS ALSO PROVIDED. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED WITH TWO PAIRS OF FLANGES WHEELS FOR EACH H-BEAM COLUMN. THE TREADS OF THE WHEELS RIDE ON THE INNER FACES OF THE FLANGES OF THE BEAMS WHILE THE WHEEL FLANGES RUN AGAINST THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BEAM FLANGES WHEN THE PLATFORM IS UNEVENLY LOADED. THE PLATFORM IS RAISED AND LOWERED BY A CABLE PASSING OVER A PULLEY CARRIED ON A VERTICAL CROSS MEMBER JOINING THE   UPPER ENDS OF THE COLUMNS. PROVISION IS MADE FOR LOCKING THE PLATFORM AT THE UPPER ENDS OF THE COLUMNS INDEPENDENT OF THE CABLE SO THAT THE CROSS MEMBER AND PULLEY MAY BE REMOVED AND ADDITIONAL LENGTHS OF H-BEAM EXTENDING THE COLUMNS MAY BE INSERTED.

Oct. 26, 1971 5, GQODRUM 3,614,994

CONSTRUCTION HOIST Filed Aug. '7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A21. J l

2 2 F l G. 9

INVENTOR.

SAMUEL F. GOODRUM BY .(/%r F I G. 3

AGENT Oct. 26, 1971 s GQQDRUM 3,614,994

CONSTRUCTION HOIST Filed Aug. '7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet Z INVIL'N'H )R.

SAMUEL F. GOOD RUM BY AG NT 3,614,994 CONSTRUCTION HOIST Samuel F. Goodrum, 918 Park Ave., Syracuse, N.Y. 13204 Filed Aug. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 750336 lint. Cl. 1366b 9/00 U.S. Cl. 187-2 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hoist for raising and lowering equipment and materials at a construction site. Parallel columns made of lengths of H-beams are secured to a base or foundation and to the building at various intervals. A horizontal platform which is guided by the H-beams is also provided. The platform is provided with two pairs of flanged wheels for each H-bearn column. The treads of the wheels ride on the inner faces of the flanges of the beams while the Wheel flanges run against the outer edge of the beam flanges when the platform is unevenly loaded. The platform is raised and lowered by a cable passing over a pulley carried on a vertical cross member joining the upper ends of the columns. Provision is made for locking the platform at the upper ends of the columns independent of the cable so that the cross member and pulley may be removed and additional lengths of I-I-beam extending the columns may be inserted.

This invention relates to hoists such as are used to raise and lower materials and equipment on construction projects.

During the building, remodeling, or razing of large buildings it is necessary to move great quantities of material and much equipment between the ground and the various floors of the structure. In the case of new construction there are normally no elevators within the building as these are normally installed at the completion of construction. In other situations the existing elevators are normally unavailable for construction purposes as they must be used for their normal functions or are unsuitable for construction use. The use of cranes or roof-mounted hoisting equipment is prohibitively expensive and timeconsuming. It is, therefore, customary to erect a platformtype hoist adjacent the structure. These hoists are usually designed so that they may be disassembled into relatively small units so that the hoist may be readily transported from one construction project to another and so that the height of the hoist may be easily varied in accordance with particular needs at the site.

Presently employed hoists are either of limited capacity or of complex and expensive construction. Hoists in which the platform is guided by wheels running on I-beam columns have been proposed but it has been found that such hoists are subject to excessive wear due to the fact that the tapered flanges of the 'I-beams exert end thrusts on the wheels causing rapid wear of the beam flanges, wheels, and especially the wheel bearings.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a building hoist which is fabricated primarily of standard structural steel components. It is also an object of my invention to provide such a hoist in which the wear of the various components is substantially reduced and which nited States Paten is capable of providing trouble-free service for long periods of time. A further object of the invention is the provision of a construction hoist of simple, economical construction.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the construction hoist of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the hoist of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line III-4H of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 1, showing the relationship between the lifting platform and the mast;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the top member of the mast of the hoist of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 1, showing the method of joining adjacent sections of the mast;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the base of the hoist showing the hoisting mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 2, showing the mounting arrangement of the cable-guiding pulley; and

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of my invention.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in FIGS. 18, I provide a pair of vertically extending columns 10 which are mounted at their lower ends to a suitable base or foundation I1 and which are joined at their upper ends by a cross-member 12. Each of the columns consists of a plurality of identical sections 13 preferably approximately 6 feet in length to facilitate handling and storage. Each section 13 consists of a length of H-beam 14 having the opposed inner faces of its flanges 15, .15 parallel to one another. Welded to the outer face of the flanges 15, 15 at the upper end of each beam length 14 are four tubes 16 having the axes of their bores parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam. Similar tubes 17 are welded in a corresponding position on the lower end of each beam 14. Adjacent sections 13 forming a column 10 are joined by means of bolts 18 passing through the bores of the tubes 17 and 16 and secured with nuts 19. The top cross-member 12 is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting H-beam sections 20 which are also provided with tubes 17 and which are joined to the H-beam column sections 13 in the same manner as are adjacent ones of the sections 13. As is common practice, the mast is erected adjacent the outer wall of the building under construction and it may be secured to the building by lengths of angle or the like (not shown herein) extending from the columns lit to the building structure. The column or mast may be raised or lowered as the construction progresses by adding or removing the H-beam sections .13 from the columns 10 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

Guided by the columns 10 is a platform, designated generally by the reference numeral 21, which is used to raise and lower men, materials, and equipment. The platform 21 has a substantially level floor 22 supported by suitable framing 23. A cross-member 24 positioned above the rear edge of the platform floor 22 is joined to the floor by uprights 25 and, if desired, by diagonal braces 26. A pair of arms 27, 28 project rearwardly from the platform 21 closely adjacent each of the columns 10. A similar pair of arms 29, 30 project rearwardly from the cross-member 24. Corresponding ones of the arms 2730 are joined by second vertical members 31. Flanged wheels 32 are provided at the outer ends of the arms 27-30 and, as will be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the tread portions 33 of these wheels bear on the inner surfaces of the flanges of the beams, the upper wheels bearing on the inner flanges 15 while the lower Wheels bear against the outer flanges 15. When the platform is evenly loaded and running straight on the beams, the wheel flanges 34 at most only lightly contact the outer edges of the beam flanges. However, if the platform is unevenly loaded, the wheel flanges bear against the outer edges of the beam flanges 15, 15 and prevent the platform from tilting or running askew. The platform is raised and lowered by means of a cable 35 secured to a suitable fitting 36 at the center of the cross-member 24 and extending to the upper end of the columns 10, from which it is directed by means of pulleys 37 and 38 to run in a downward direction adjacent one of the columns. At the lower end of the column the cable 35 is passed around a pulley 39 and directed toward a winch 40 which is connected by means of belts 41 to a motor 42. The winch is preferably provided with a solenoid-operated brake 43 to stop the winch when desired or in the event of a failure of the motor 42. As will be seen in FIG. 8, the pulley 39 is pivotally connected to a lug 44 projecting from the H-beam column 10. This arrangement permits the cable to wrap properly on the winding drum of the winch 40 and also makes it possible to locate the winch at the side rather than the rear of the hoist, if desired. While, due to the inherent advantages of a direct current motor for operating the hoist, I prefer to use such a motor, it will be understood that any suitable motor may be used to power the winch 40. While no control arrangement is shown herein, any suitable controls may be used to govern the operation of the motor 42 and winch 40 and thus control the raising and lowering of the platform 21. For example, the winch may be controlled from a control panel 46 located adjacent the motor 42. The controls may also be mounted on the platform 21, permitting the hoist to be controlled by an operator riding on the platform. In any event, it is contemplated that limit switches for sensing the upper and lower limits of travel of the hoist will be provided to prevent excessive unwinding of the cable 35 with the resultant twisting or kinking and to prevent stretching and possible breakage of the cable. These limit switches may be mounted either on the platform 21 or at the base 11 and top cross-member 12 of the mast.

When it is desired to increase the height of the mast or column 10, a pair of H-beam sections 13 are loaded on the platform 21 which is then raised to its uppermost position. Each of the sections 13 is provided with a hole 45 in its web portion and when the platform has been raised to its upper limit a pin may be inserted through the hole 45 in the uppermost of the sections 13 thus locking the platform in its uppermost position. The cable 35 may now be loosened and the cross-member 12 unbolted from the sections 13. The cross-member 12 is then placed on the platform, the additional sections 13 are secured to the column, and the cross-member 12 replaced on top of the newly added sections 13. The platform is now again raised by the cable 35 and the pins are removed from the holes 45. The platform may be used in a similar manner to lower the column when desired.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of my invention which may be used when it is desired to have a hoist of high capacity. In this embodiment the mast consists of two pairs of vertically extending columns 10 supported by a base 11' and joined by a top cross-member 12'. The

4 platform 21 is supported by two pairs of flanged wheels 32' riding on each of the columns 10'. The platform 21 is raised and lowered by a cable 35' extending to the top of the columns 10' and connected to a winch as in the previous embodiment.

It will be apparent that the hoist of my invention accomplishes the objects initially set out above. As the columns 10 are composed of lengths of H-beams, which are commercially available, and the platform and other components may be fabricated of standard structural members, the hoist may be more economically manufactured than existing hoists of equal capacity. By utilizing the parallel inner faces of the flanges of the H-beams as running surfaces for the platform wheels the wear on these components is substantially reduced. It is contemplated that the wheels would be provided With anti-friction type roller bearings to further reduce wear and prolong the useful life of the hoist. As can be seen from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the hoist may be built for any desired capacity and, with the selection of a suitable winch and motor, may be designed to operate at any desired speed. Since there is no bracing or other obstructions extending between the columns of the mast, the platform may be extended through the space between the columns (as shown in FIG. 3, where the platform is provided with a rear extension 22") permitting the platform to be loaded and unloaded from any of its four sides.

It will also be apparent that alterations and additions may be made to the embodiments of my invention shown herein. If the platform is to be used to carry workmen it may be provided with a protective enclosure. A brake designed to bear against the inner faces of the flanges 15, 15' and positioned between the upper and lower Wheels of the platform may also be provided to prevent the platform from dropping rapidly if the cable becomes unfastened or breaks.

As these and other changes and additions may be made in and to my invention without departing from the spirit thereof reference should be had to the appended claims in determining the true scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A construction hoist adapted to be secured to a building under construction to raise and lower equipment and material, comprising: a base supported on said ground; a plurality of vertically extending columns supported by said base at their lower ends and connected at their upper ends by a horizontal member, each of said columns having a web portion and a pair of flanges secured to said web portion in an H-shaped configuration, the inner faces of said flanges being parallel to one another; a lifting platform guided by said columns, having a floor portion extending at right angles to said columns, and having a cross-member positioned above said floor portion, connected to said floor portion by side members and extending parallel thereto; a plurality of lower arms secured to each side of said platform floor and extending rearwardly on opposite sides of said columns, closely adjacent thereto, and parallel to the web portions thereof; upper arms secured to each side of said cross-member and extending rearwardly on opposite sides of said columns, closely adjacent thereto, and parallel to the web portions thereof; vertical brace means connected between said upper and lower arms, wheels journaled on each of said arms and bearing on the inner faces of the flanges on opposite sides of said web and hoisting means attached to said base to raise and lower said platform along said columns including guide pulley means attached to said horizontal member and a cable extending from said platform over said pulley to said hoisting means.

2. A construction hoist according to claim 1, further characterized in that: said plurality of columns are arranged in two groups, each group having the same number of columns as the other, and said groups being located closely adjacent opposite sides of said platform, the area between said groups of columns being free of obstructions.

3. A construction hoist according to claim 1, further characterized in that: the wheels journaled on the upper arms bear against the inner faces of the flanges closest to said platform while the wheels journaled on the lower arms bear against the inner faces of the opposite flanges of said columns.

4. A construction hoist according to claim 3 wherein said wheels are provided with flanges, said wheel flanges bearing against the outer edges of the flanges of said olumns.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1950 Schuchert 187-2 1/1955 Solomon 18711 2/1957 Westmark 187-2 12/1967 Goodacre 1879 FOREIGN PATENTS 10/1966 Canada 1876 US. Cl. X.R 

